ITV Racing Saturday Newbury & Newmarket Saturday Preview

James Mackie | @JMackieRacing

Newbury - May 19 2023
Newbury 12:50
4(6)
William Buick

Noble Style

J: William Buick
T: Charlie Appleby
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 117
Days: 14

The first race of the afternoon from Newbury is the Listed Carnarvon Stakes over 6f and Noble Style at the head of the market dropping back to 6f is going to take all the beating.

The 525,000gns son of Kingman was a very smart winner at Ascot on debut in May over 5f when beating the likes of Walbank and Royal Scotsman.

Seen twice more last season at the back end of July at Newmarket he got the job done late on when beating Mill Stream by half a length, giving a lot of weight away to the rest of the field.

Stepped up to Group Two company at York's Ebor meeting he went on to take the Gimcrack Stakes over 6f landing a hat-trick of wins and keeping his unbeaten streak.

Set to race in the Middle Park Stakes he suffered from Colic and was put away for the season returning this term in the 2000 Guineas.

Not sure whether he stayed the mile and ground coming up atrocious, he still ran a very credible race to finish sixth of 14.

He showed clear pace early on and the drop to 6f is exactly what he needs.

Newmarket - May 19 2023
Newmarket 13:05
10(3)
David Probert

Totnes

J: David Probert
T: Andrew Balding
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-0
OR: 76
Days: 16

The first event from Newmarket on ITV this weekend is the class 4 Aspall Cyder 1728 Handicap over a mile and the horse who takes the eye is Totnes for Andrew Balding.

Needing her debut last year at Salisbury, she came back this term at Wolves over 7f and got off the mark in good style.

Sent back to Wolves over the same C&D she did not run his true race and finished three lengths back in fifth, but quickly got back to form last time out on her second handicap start when winning at Lingfield over a mile off a mark of 71.

Upped 5lb for that success she can carry on her upward curve.

Newbury - May 19 2023
Newbury 13:25
7(3)
Frankie Dettori

Haskoy

J: Frankie Dettori
T: Ralph Beckett
N/A
Age: 4
Weight: 8-13
OR: 109
Days: 251

Next up from Newbury is the Grade Three Al Rayyan Stakes over 1m4f and we are taking on the favourite Yibir with the younger horse Haskoy for Ralph Beckett.

The filly bounced on the scene as a three year old last term when winning over 1m4f at Wolves, bolting up by seven lengths.

Sent into a Listed Fillies' Stakes off the back of that run at York she went on to make it 2/2 in the Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes over the same distance as her debut win, seeing off the talented Time Lock.

Upped in trip for her final run of the season in the Group One St Leger at Doncaster, she ran a screamer to finish two lengths back in fourth behind Eldar Eldarov.

She maybe did not stay the trip as well as others in the race and dropping back to 1m4f getting weight off the field makes her interesting.

Newmarket - May 19 2023
Newmarket 13:40
6(5)
John Fahy

Eminency

J: John Fahy
T: Clive Cox
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 8-12
OR: 86
Days: 31

Newmarket's next event on ITV is the Class 2 Handicap over 6f and we have played two in this race, one from a win perspective and another at an each way price.

The first selection is the Clive Cox trained Eminency who started his career off well at Windsor last season finishing second on debut and then getting off the mark next time out.

Finishing a good fifth of 15 in the Weatherbys Scientic £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes behind the talented Cold Case, he then finished the season off at Goodwood when tried at 7f and not getting home.

Seen once this term at Kempton in a Class 4 Handicap back at 6f he was well backed into favourite for that event and although only just a length back in fourth he did not receive the greatest ride in the world.

Racing here off a mark of 86 he could be tough to beat if showing his true potential.

Newmarket - May 19 2023
Newmarket 13:40
10(6)
Hayley Turner

Ararat

J: Hayley Turner
T: David Simcock
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 8-3
OR: 77
Days: 189

One at a bigger price in that race is the David Simcock trained Ararat who has been seen three times to date and now handicapping off a mark of 77, this could be more his bag.

Second on debut at Yarmouth behind the talented Zoology, he then stepped up to 7f and did not take to it at all finishing 10th of 14.

Finishing last season at Wolves when a decent second behind a 83 rated horse in Tough Enough, having his first run since a gelding operation he looks interesting.

Newbury - May 19 2023
Newbury 14:00
2(10)
Ryan Moore

Bertinelli

J: Ryan Moore
T: A P O'Brien
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-5
OR: 99
Days: 29

The big handicap of the afternoon from Newbury is the London Gold Cup over 1m2f and Aidan O'Brien sends Bertinelli in here who could be better than a mark of 99.

Second on juvenile debut last term in October over a mile behind Peking Opera from the same stable, he then got off the mark on his final run of last term over the same trip at Dundalk.

Upped to 1m2f on his three year old debut at Cork he ran a screamer to finish a close second behind the talented Alder who has since franked the form in a better race.

Now put into a handicap when bred to be better than this level, this could be a nice stepping stone to big things in the future.

Newmarket - May 19 2023
Newmarket 14:15
4(12)
Sean Levey

Powerdress

J: Sean Levey
T: Richard Hannon
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-8
OR: 88
Days: 13

The final event from the Rowley Mile is the Aspall Premier Cru Handicap over 7f and Powerdress dropping massively in grade can give her true running.

A winner on her sole start last term over 5f at Newmarket in a Fillies' Stakes she then suffered a set back and was not seen again as a juvenile.

Moved up in trip for her seasonal debut this term she finished a superb third of nine in a good Conditions Stakes behind Majestic Pride and Holguin.

Stepped up to a mile on the wrong side of the track on horrid ground in the 1000 Guineas she was basically pulled up before a furlong from home finishing last of the 20.

That was not her true running and having not had a tough race, she drops markedly in grade to this Class 3 Handicap and back at 7f, she is a horse with a lot of ability that is worth another chance.

Newbury - May 19 2023
Newbury 14:35
8(13)
William Buick

Modern Games

J: William Buick
T: Charlie Appleby
N/A
Age: 4
Weight: 9-2
OR: 121
Days: 36

The final event of the afternoon on ITV is the feature race from Newbury which is the Group One Lockinge Stakes and the horse with the best form in the race is the Godolphin owned Modern Games.

Needing his first experience on a racecourse at Haydock, he learnt plenty and got off the mark at the second time of asking at Newmarket over 7f.

Sent to Leicester he was a narrow second to Leicester with the ground having a bit of juice in the ground, but he returned to winning ways in a Nursery Handicap at Doncaster.

Rounding off his season in England he scored again at Newmarket in the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes, taking his first black type event.

Appleby sent him to the Breeders' Cup meeting at Del Mar off the back of that run for his first taste of Group One Company and under a superb ride by William Buick he went on to land the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Making his seasonal debut last term the three year old made an emphatic start to the season landing the French 2000 Guineas with a bit in hand.

Since then he was upped in trip to 1m2f in the G1 Prix Du Jockey Club and finished a fair third behind the smart Vadeni who franked the form in the Coral Eclipse.

Back at 7f next time out in the Group One Prix Jean Prat he could only manage fifth but back up to a mile in the Sussex Stakes he finished a good second behind the superstar Baaeed.

Sent globetrotting after that he went over to Canada to land the Group One Woodbine Mile and then came back to England and finished second to Bayside Boy in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot.

Finishing the season at Keeneland in the Breeders' Cup Mile he went on to win extremely well adding another black type victory to his name in another country.

Starting his season this term off at Keeneland in the Grade One Maker's Mark Mile he ran a credible race back in second behind a very smart horse and looking for his first domestic Group One, he looks one of the most solid contenders in a race stacked with talent.